Applying for life insurance most times require paramedical examinations, or even full medical examinations along with providing blood and/or urine samples. The requirements depend upon amount of life insurance and age of applicant. Smaller amounts of life insurance at younger ages, often doesn't require such examinations or body fluid samples. You will be pre-warned when examinations are required and a professional para medical nurse or doctor will contact you to see you at your convenience either in the comfort of your own home or office. The insurance company you have applied to for coverage pays for this service. The following is a list of things to do that are designed to improve your chances of completing a successful medical examination.

You should have adequate rest and be in good health for your medical examination. If you are sick, i.e. have a cold, or you are exhausted, reschedule the examination.

If you are scheduled for a Blood Sample and/or Urine Test, the following is recommended:

It is normal for anyone to become anxious about having their blood pressure taken. You will improve your chances of a proper reading if you suggest to the examiner that you would like to relax for a few minutes after their arrival before your blood pressure is recorded. Should you initially have elevated blood pressure readings, these need to be rechecked later on during the examination to insure that the examiner documents more than one reading.

Do not consume any food for a minimum of 8 hours before your blood is to be taken. Occasionally, abstinance from eating for a longer duration is required. If this is the case, your paramedical representative will provide more precise instructions.

Drink at least one six oz. glass of water one hour before a urine exam.

Avoid consuming caffeine for several hours prior to your appointment. You should limit caffeine consumption 48 hours before the examination. You should have no caffeine the morning of the examination. Caffeine increases blood pressure and pulse rate. It can even provoke an irregular heart rate (arrhythmia). It is important to note that there are various sources of caffeine aside from coffee and tea (i.e. diet soft drinks, cold preparations, pain medications, etc.).

If you use tobacco products, do not do so for at least one hour prior to your appointment. If you are scheduled for a urine sample, your urine will be tested for nicotine. You do not have to be a cigarette smoker to have nicotine discovered in your urine sample. Smoking cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff, the nicotine patch and nicotine gum can all cause nicotine to be detected in the urine sample. It is important that you "disclose" any nicotine products you are using to the medical examiner at the time of test. Failure to do so combined with a discovery of nicotine in the urine may suggest "lack of full disclosure."

If you periodically or regularly consume alcohol, you should avoid all alcohol consumption, preferably 48 hours before the examination. Alcohol consumption can
increase blood pressure and adversely affect certain elements of the blood study.

If you are taking prescription medications, you should be taking the medications as directed by your physician. If you are not taking your prescription medication correctly (i.e. forgot to get a refill, taking the medications only occasionally) you should not be examined until you return to the proper medication schedule. IMPORTANT NOTE: Failure to verify compliance with prescription medications may lead to adverse findings on the medical examination (i.e. elevated blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, elevated blood sugar levels, etc. Taking acetominiphin (Tylenol) before a liver function test can alter the results, giving an underwriter an inaccurate analysis of a proposed life insured's health?

If you require pulmonary function testing, you please note that the quality of the test is determined by the effort (i.e. how much air is taken into the lungs and how hard and how long it is expelled) and the tightness of the seal on the mouth piece. If you do not take care to closely follow the above guidelines for pulmonary function testing, you may have your test interpreted incorrectly as abnormal.

If you are required to undergoing exercise treadmill testing, you should not eat or drink for four hours prior to the test. You should always have your life insurance blood sample drawn before you undergo an exercise treadmill test.